RFK Racing's 2027 Charter Landscape and Driver Plans
RFK Racing will enter the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series with just two charters, after a series of moves that saw one of its three charters loaned from Rick Ware Racing for the 2026 season and another sold to Legacy Motor Club for the following year. The team’s charter strategy reflects a tightening of resources, but it also opens space for new partnerships and driver opportunities.
Among those opportunities, Ryan Preece has been confirmed to pilot the No. 60 Ford for RFK Racing in 2027, driving the car as an open entry. This marks the second time in the past decade that Preece will run a full‑time open‑car program, having previously contested the non‑chartered No. 37 Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing in 2021. Despite a string of consistent top‑20 finishes, his best result this season remains eighth, leaving him 38 points outside the playoff cut line.
Playoff Hopes and Roster Dynamics
Performance metrics underscore both the promise and the pressure on Preece. While he has avoided crashes and maintained reliability, the lack of a top‑10 finish this year highlights the competitive gap between mid‑pack stability and race‑winning speed. Team owner Brad Keselowski, who himself has accumulated five top‑seven finishes this season, and his teammate Chris Buescher, with six such finishes, are positioned to challenge for playoff spots, adding depth to the roster.
Keselowski’s five top‑seven results and Buescher’s six have kept the organization in contention, with Buescher eyeing his first playoff appearance since 2023. The duo’s strong finishes contrast with Preece’s more modest results, creating a layered narrative of driver development and strategic resource allocation within the team.
Looking ahead, RFK Racing is already contemplating a third charter for future seasons, a move that could restore a larger inventory of cars and expand its driver pipeline. The organization may also seek fresh talent for the No. 60 seat in 2028, a prospect that could reshape its competitive outlook.
Meanwhile, Corey LaJoie’s failure to qualify his open entry for the Daytona 500 in February illustrates the volatility of the open‑car format and the fine margins that define entry into the sport’s marquee events.